One of his many legacies

Posted: April 11, 2013 - 12:08am

Mayor Bill Overstreet was always on the lookout for ways to present the capital city as energetic, forward-thinking and friendly.

One of the more visible of his ideas is the state flags that fly along downtown Egan Drive each summer. When Bill and Jean were visiting Switzerland, they were impressed with a flag display they saw there. Bill thought something similar should welcome visitors to the capital city. At his instigation, we formed a loosely organized core of volunteers and donors to carry out the project, called Friends of the Flags. The first flags were installed 36 years ago with the cooperation of the fire department and DOTPF. Initially, individuals purchased flags of their home states for a $50 donation. The first donors were Bill Overstreet and Jeff Wilson, publisher of the Juneau Empire. The current method of having a fund drive to raise money to purchase a complete set of flags each year soon followed.

This is but one of Bill Overstreet’s contributions to his community. We join his family and friends in mourning the passing of one of Juneau’s biggest boosters.